Report of the MCA Leadership Assembly in 1999
Introduction
The Leadership Assembly took place April 22-25, 1999 at the Blessed Trinity Shrine Retreat in Holy Trinity, Alabama. Fifty-five people were in attendance. There were 7 MCA Council members; 29 MCA delegates from al five regions plus Costa Rica (which was made a region right after that Assembly); 7 spiritual guides; 8 team members; the 3 General Custodians from the other branches of the Missionary Cenacle Family; and the Director of the Missionary Cenacle Volunteers.
The gathering was a graced moment in the life of the MCA! The three topics brought to the Assembly were gleaned from the survey of the general membership. They were: mission, spirituality, and structure. One particularly striking note throughout the Assembly was the openness of the participants to share their ideas and to seek counsel with one another. As we discussed each issue, we looked to each other for counsel and were able to arrive at consensus about the important themes brought before us.
Assembly Proceedings
April 22, 19991 The Assembly began after supper with the introduction of guests, team and the various MCA regions. This was followed by an address by Marvine Waite. Evening prayer was held at Father Judge’s chapel with the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. The Spiritual Guides began a round-the-clock vigil of prayer in the chapel, which ended on Sunday morning.
April 23, 1999 Sr. Brenda Hermann, MSBT and Br. Paul Michalenko, S.T. facilitated the sessions. MCA participants were divided among six table groups – three for English-speaking and three for Spanish-speaking. There were also tables set aside for the General Custodians of the Missionary Cenacle Family and the Director of the Missionary Cenacle Volunteers, the Spiritual Guides, the Leadership Assembly team, and guests. The general discussions were simultaneously translated by the use of headsets.
The sessions on this first day centered on our mission and our spirituality. The primary focus of the discussion was on the question: How have we experienced the mission in our lives and how have we experienced Cenacle spirituality to support that mission?
Mission
We arrived at a communal sense of the mission of the MCA for the 21st century. As each table responded, common elements were evident, in particular:
+ Our mission is the same as the mission of Jesus – to make God’s love visible to the world, a world without borders and language barriers
+ As laity, we find opportunities to reflect God’s love in our everyday lives
+ As members of the Missionary Cenacle Family, we have a particular solidarity with one another and the other branches in living out our mission
+ We feel a particular mission to the poor and spiritually abandoned, and to call others to be apostles.
Spirituality
We arrived at a communal sense of the essential elements of a Cenacle spirituality that sends us out on mission. Primarily, it is incarnational. It is about relationships – our relationship with God, with others in the Cenacle Family and with the world. Our spirituality is a way of life that is rooted in prayer and reliant on the Holy Spirit.
April 24, 1999 This day was focused on a discussion of our structure and the nominating of candidates for General Custodian and Assistant General Custodian.
Organizational Structure
The morning session focused on our organizational structure. The question posed was: How does the structure help you live out your mission and spirituality? First, we reflected on and shared at our tables our understanding and experience of the current structure.
Next, Pat Regan described the current organizational structure. We employ a vertical model with the Council (the ministry of authority) at the head, under which comes the local custodians and associates. The very nature of the model limits the participation of the membership and makes it difficult to engage the associates in the leadership of the MCA. She explained the work of a steering committee that had been formed in 1996, whose main purpose was to implement the opening of the international MCA office in Philadelphia. The steering committee also proposed to he Council a model of shared leadership that would promote more collaboration both within and across regions while keeping he ministry of authority intact. At the time, the Council felt that the infrastructure of the MCA would not support such a model, but made a commitment to developing leaders in the MCA so that a new model could be implemented in the future. This Leadership Assembly is one result of their commitment to that goal.
It was the consensus of the Assembly that an organizational model be implemented that would allow leadership at many levels to emerge. The following themes arose as recommendations for the next Council:
+ improve communication
+ promote more shared leadership at the regional level
+ provide a structure that would form leaders
+ recognize that the MCA is an international organization
Nominating Process
Before breaking for lunch, the Assembly took up the question of possible candidates for the top two positions. At the tables, we reflected on the question: What are the gifts needed for leadership in light of our mission, spirituality and the way we want to be structured? We were asked to spend the break talking to possible candidates about their willingness to serve.
When we re-convened, each table presented their suggestions for candidates for General Custodian, and each candidate was asked to come forward. Every table nominating that candidate was asked to name the gifts they saw in that individual. When the process was complete, we had twelve candidates before us. Each was asked whether or not they would accept the nomination. Eight individuals declined and gave their reasons. We were left with four candidates for General Custodian. Of the eight who had initially declined, two agreed to be nominated for the position of Assistant General Custodian. The four who accepted a nomination for General Custodian also agreed to consider the second position if they did not make the ballot for General Custodian.
We then proceeded to the chapel for voting. We would select two candidates for each of the positions to present to the associates for election. The General Custodians of the other three branches were asked to count the ballots. The results of our nomination proceedings have previously been provided to the general membership and won’t be recounted here.
Following the nomination process, the Regional Custodians met with their delegates to determine how to distribute the ballots in their regions. Each Regional Custodian and delegate went home with a ballot and a cover letter explaining the nomination process.
April 25, 1999 Evaluation of proceedings (Br. Paul and Sr. Brenda)
Regional gatherings (facilitated by regional custodian)
Mass and Lunch/Departure after 2:00 p.m.
MCA Council Notes
During the Assembly, the Council met to discuss a proposal from the associates in Costa Rica, represented by Sandra Ortiz, to make Costa Rica a separate region. On Sunday morning, Marvine announced that the proposal had been accepted, and that Sandra would be the Regional Custodian.
A Final Note
We are delighted to report that one goal of the Assembly – increased participation in the election process by the membership – was realized! Nearly 500 ballots were cast for the two available positions, representing over 50% of the membership. This is a dramatic increase over the last election, when fewer than 200 ballots were returned. The next General Custodian of the MCA is Josie Morales; the next Assistant General Custodian is Jim Bolner. We trust that under their leadership, the MCA Council will soon begin addressing the concerns and mandates presented by the Assembly delegates.
This report is respectfully submitted by:
Pat Regan, MCA
Assembly Coordinator
July 4, 1999